A clip (30) for securing a heat sink (50) to a heat-generating electronic device (90) includes first and second fasteners (40, 60). The first fastener includes a body (41), and a pair of legs (49) depending from respective opposite ends of the body. The body has a stretch portion (411) in which cutouts (413) are defined to form a pair of fixing tabs (415). A pair of spring pressing portions (43) is formed at respective opposite ends of the body. Each spring pressing portion has a pressing tab (451) to be received in a slot (53) defined in the heat sink. The second fastener has a vertical panel (61) defining an opening (62) adapted to receive a clasp (72) of a retention module (70), and a slot (63) for receiving the fixing tabs of the first fastener therethrough. The fixing tabs are then deformed to secure the second fastener to the first fastener.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A clip adapted to secure a heat sink to an electronic device mounted between a pair of retention modules comprising: a first fastener including a body, a pair of legs extending from respective opposite ends of the body adapted for engaging with a retention module, and at least a stretch portion extending from the body; and a second fastener removably attached to the at least a stretch portion of the first fastener and adapted to engage with the retention module.
2. The clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a plurality of spring pressing portions adapted for pressing the heat sink toward the electronic device.
3. The clip as recited in claim 2 , wherein each pressing portion forms at least a pressing tab depending therefrom and adapted to be received in at least a slot defined in the heat sink.
4. The clip as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least a rib is formed on each spring pressing portion to reinforce the clip.
5. The clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of cutouts is defined in the at least a stretch portion to form a pair of fixing tabs at respective opposite sides of the stretch portion, and wherein the second fastener forms at least a slot corresponding to and receiving the fixing tabs therethrough, the fixing tabs being thereupon deformed to retain the second fastener to the first fastener.
6. The clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second fastener forms at least a handle for facilitating assembly and disassembly thereof.
7. The clip as recited in claim 1 , wherein the stretch portion extends horizontally from the body.
8. A heat sink assembly comprising: an electronic device confined by a retention module; a heat sink positioned on the electronic device; a clip adapted to fasten the heat sink against the electronic device, said clip including: a first fastener defining a body with a pair of legs at two opposite ends thereof; and a second fastener pivotally positioned on one side of the body of the first fastener, said second fastener including a panel; wherein said pair of legs are respectively latchably engaged with two opposite sides of the retention module, while the panel is latchably engaged with another side of the retention module.
9. The heat sink assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein said body includes a stretch portion which is engaged with a top face of the heat sink when the panel of the second fastener is latched with the retention module while is disengaged from the top face of the heat sink when the panel of the second fastener is unlatched from the retention module.
10. A clip for securing a heat sink to an electronic device confined by a retention module, comprising: a first fastener including an elongated body with thereof a pair of legs downwardly extending from two opposite ends for latchable engagement with the retention module; and a second fastener pivotally attachably positioned on one side of the body between said pair of legs for latchable engagement with the retention module.
11. The clip as recited in claim 10 , wherein at least one stretch portion of the body is positioned between the pair of legs for abutment against the heat sink.
12. The clip as recited in claim 11 , wherein said at least one stretch portion is positioned between the second fastener and one of said pair of legs.
13. A heat sink assembly comprising: an electronic device confined by a retention module; a heat sink positioned on the electronic device; a clip adapted to fasten the heat sink against the electronic device, said clip including: a first fastener defining a body with a pair of legs at two opposite ends thereof, said body further defining a stretch portion between said pair of legs; and a second fastener pivotally attachably positioned on the body of the first fastener, said second fastener including a panel; said pair of legs are respectively latchably engaged with two opposite sides of the retention module; wherein when the panel is latchably engaged with another side of the retention module, the stretch portion abuts against the heat sink; when the panel is disengaged from said another side of the retention module, the stretch portion is spaced from the heat sink.
14. A method of assembling/disassembling a heat sink with regard to an electronic device, comprising the steps of: providing an electronic device; providing a retention module confining the electronic device; positioning a heat sink on the electronic device; providing a first fastener with a body having a stretch portion, and two legs at two ends thereof; and providing a second fastener rotatably attached to the first fastener, the second fastener having a panel; wherein during assembling, first the pair of legs are latchably engaged with two opposite sides of the retention module with the stretch portion spaced from the heat sink, and successively the panel is latchably engaged with another side of the retention module with the stretch portion abutting against the heat sink.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein during disassembling, first the panel is manually operationally unlatched from said another side of the retention module and the heat sink is intermediately free from the electronic device due to relaxation of the stretch portion, and second successively the pair of legs are unlatched from the two opposite sides of the retention module for completely releasing the heat sink therefrom.
16. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein said another side is perpendicular to both said two opposite sides.
17. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein said second fastener includes a handle extending above the body.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 3, 2000
March 26, 2002
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